Tom Gilman, technical marketing manager, Amazon Web Services (AWS), explains why open source can advance the M&E technology landscape
By Contributor
Published: May 21, 2020
Tom Gilman, technical marketing manager, Amazon Web Services (AWS), explains why open source can advance the M&E technology landscape
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Tom Gilman, technical marketing manager, Amazon Web Services (AWS), explains why open source can advance the M&E technology landscape
https://www.tvbeurope.com/media-management/connecting-the-dots-between-open-source-and-the-viewer-experience title=Share via Email class=share-email>
Whether distributing live sports, an episodic series, film, or a combination thereof, content providers are always on the lookout for ways to make the viewer experience more enjoyable. To date this has prompted experimentation with video technology that supports higher resolutions and frame rates, high dynamic range, integrated analytics, low latency, and more. A premium audience experience is crucial where competition for viewers is fierce as new players continue to surface. While several approaches exist to enhance the quality of live and on-demand video services and create consistency across the viewing experience, the media and entertainment (M&E) industry is seeking out answers in open source technology.
In brief, open source software is source code that is made available for public consumption and modification. Its origins predate Y2K, with Netscape's release of the source code for its Navigator browser in the 1990s one of the first. Since then, the open source movement has gained momentum and foundations dedicated to promoting and supporting it have emerged, such as the Linux Foundation, Apache Software Foundation and Open Source Initiative. As the movement has gained traction, it's become standard practice for modern technology companies to make components of their software available via open source, and/or leverage open source code to accelerate their own technology and workflows.
Open source has caught on rapidly because it helps accelerate innovation as it lets developers gain access to the code and gives them the ability to modify it for their purpose and distribute it with their solution. These traits of view, modify, and distribute are the three freedoms of open source software. Additionally, open source software gives companies more flexibility and lower switching costs as compared to legacy proprietary vendors.
M&E, and the broadcast and OTT markets in particular, have also begun to adopt open source software. Across content creation and delivery, companies are harnessing open source code to accelerate the delivery of new and improved services to their customers. For instance, some of the biggest streaming customers using AWS have integrated Media Services Application Mapper (MSAM) open source code into their network and monitoring pipelines, and customised it to suit their environments, developments that have helped enhance video experiences for their audiences.
MSAM is an open source software package for monitoring live TV channels in the Cloud. When an issue arises, its built-in alarms alert teams and pinpoint the location of the problem. This allows them to identify and correct the video path far more quickly than using manual methods like logs. When deploying content at scale, such as spinning up a new service on a network with 150 channels, the benefits of being able to visualise the video path throughout the entire chain with MSAM are especially apparent and key to supporting more reliable video streams. While most of the implementations to date have been built on AWS, MSAM is available on Github, and there are many reasons it could also be leveraged similarly to improve network or CDN monitoring solutions being built by other companies.
Beyond MSAM, AWS is developing thousands of other open source projects, often in collaboration with other parties, to help advance the larger M&E technology landscape and ultimately benefit the end-user audience. However, building an open source community takes time, resources, and a dedicated outreach programme to bring awareness to new developments, from showcasing it at tradeshows and virtual events to customer demos, and more. That said, the efforts are well worth the results, and we expect to see momentum for open source continue to build in this industry, as it helps the teams behind-the-scenes innovate and drive the audience experience to new heights.
SubscribeFor more stories like this, and to keep up to date with all our market leading news, features and analysis, sign up to our newsletter here.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
06/05/2026
A Sennheiser Spectera module is now available in Bitfocus Companion and Buttons, enabling direct integration of Spectera with the two software platforms. The mo...
06/05/2026
Ted Turner, the visionary media entrepreneur whose appetite for disruption helpe...
06/05/2026
Peacock is going all-in on the beautiful game - streaming all 104 FIFA World Cup...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
Tom Gilman, technical marketing manager, Amazon Web Services (AWS), explains why open source can advance the M&E technology landscape
